MOVEABLE FEAST

Nepal’s beauty doesn’t end with its scenic landscape. RUTH DSOUZA PRABHU embarks on a culinary trail in the region to discover local delicacies and some of the tastiest meals ever.

- RUTH DSOUZA PRABHU

THE IDEA TO head to Nepal on a family vacation struck us on a random work day in February 2022. The idea gathered steam quickly and within 48 hours, all our bookings were done.

Armed with a heavily researched list of 15 restaurants and 30 local dishes, we landed in Kathmandu in April. The first morning, before traffic clogged up the streets, we walked to Café Mitra. We ordered breakfast platters of eggs benedict, avocado toast and the house special eggs. It was here that I had my first taste of Nepal—chiya—a milk tea spiced with cardamom, ginger, pepper and cinnamon. Strong on the palate but for a tea lover like me, a perfect start to the day. We then headed northeast of Kathmandu to Boudhanath Stupa. A large part of Nepal’s food culture is Tibetan, with some Chinese influences. With only a small board on the sidewalk to announce its presence, we stepped into Aama Canteen, whose portly Tibetan owner was pleased to see us. She suggested laphing, cold flat noodles made of potato or wheat starch and rolled with a chilli paste. She adjusts the spice as per your tolerance levels but fair warning, her interpretation of medium-spicy can hit you like throwing an accelerant on fire.